97.8% of Examiner readers pay for their newspaper

THE Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) figures for the six months ending 30 June 2007 show that 97.8% of Irish Examiner readers paid for their papers over the six-month period compared with a little more than 88% for the Irish Independent and 95% of Irish Times readers.

In a market that is highly competitive with free sheets and lower-priced tabloids, getting readers to pay for their daily read presents a picture in the Irish market that suggests some newspapers are being increasingly forced to give their papers away in order to retain their circulation ratings.

The market has become increasingly competitive in recent years.